By Melody Lee
Skagway, Alaska, is known as the "Gateway to the Klondike" for its location at the beginning of the Klondike Trail during the Gold Rush in the 1800s. In Skagway you can see historic sites that depict life during the gold rush, cultural gardens that include art, and spectacular scenic areas.
Klondike Gold Rush National Historic Park
Parts of the towns and trails used during the gold rush are preserved in the Klondike Gold Rush National Historic Park. Presentations by park rangers and a film depict the hardships prospectors faced in the gold rush. See an authentic early-1900s cabin and saloon. Take a guided tour through the town site of Dyea and the historic district of Skagway. Look for wildlife and native plants while hiking along one of the many trails in the park.
White Pass and Yukon Route
See a sweeping panorama of mountains, valleys, waterfalls and glaciers on the White Pass and Yukon Route Railway. Ride a narrow-gauge train from Skagway to White Pass Summit--which is almost 3,000 feet high--as the railway climbs steep grades and curves around sheer cliffs. Continue the adventure as the train follows the Yukon route down to a restored 1903 station in British Columbia, or travel to Fraser Meadows past White Pass Summit on a train pulled by a steam engine.
Gardens
Visit Jewell Gardens, where a variety of flowers and vegetables are grown organically. A guided tour includes a gourmet luncheon or tea, with dishes prepared with foods from the garden. Then watch glassblowing experts create works of art or try to create one of your own at the glassblowing studio in the garden. (jewellgardens.com/)
See 29 sculptures by major American artists, such as Bob Kuhn, Richard Schmid and Sandy Scott, at the Skagway Sculpture and Flower Garden. Each bronze sculpture is set on a black basalt column in the minimalist-style garden. Browse the on-site art gallery and gift-shop for Alaskan art, etchings, crafts and gifts. (skagwaysculptureandflowergarden.org/)
SEAtrails
SEAtrails, a system of more than 75 land and water routes, passes through 19 communities in southeast Alaska. Explore one or more of the seven routes that pass through Skagway. Hike along the Chilkoot, Skyline or Smugglers Cove trails to see scenic sights and wildlife. Smugglers Cove Trail and the Lower Lake Trail System are suitable for bicycling. In addition to hiking, you can ice-climb on Denver Glacier Trail or snowshoe on Upper Dewy Lake Trail. A kayaking route runs from Skagway to Haines.
Other Activities
Flightsee in a helicopter over Glacier Bay and the surrounding wilderness. For a different view of the mountains and glaciers, try a float tour on Taiyar River beginning with a guided car tour or hike.
Book a charter fishing trip and angle for salmon or halibut. Look for marine and land wildlife, including whales, on a boat tour of the Upper Lynn Canal.
Ride a horse through the Dyea Valley in the Klondike Gold Rush National Historic Park or take a thrilling ride on a wheeled dog sled behind a team of more than a dozen dogs.
Resources
About the Author:
Melody Lee began working as a reporter and copywriter for the "Jasper News" in 2004 and was promoted to editor in 2005. She also edits magazine articles and books. Lee holds a degree in landscape design, is a Florida Master Gardener, and has more than 25 years of gardening experience.
